Combined suspension means and wind guard for pocket lighters



March 6, 1956 c. SIMPSON 2,737,036

COMBINED SUSPENSION MEANS AND WIND GUARD FOR POCKET LIGHTERS Filed Oct. 8, 1954 w 6 INVENTOR. q; ya CARL SmPsON,

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United States Patentli) COMBINED SUSPENSION MEANS AND WIND GUARD FOR POCKET LIGHTERS Carl Simpson, Coral Gables, Fla.

Application October 8, 1954, Serial No. 461,248

2 Claims. (Cl. 677.1)

This invention relates to a combined wind guard and a detachable connecting means whereby a conventional cigarette lighter may be suspended from a flexible support, such as a chain or the like.

Cigarette lighters are commonly carried in the pocket of a garment, necessitating the usual difficulty in removing and using the lighter, the wear upon the garment as a result of such use and the frequent slipping or falling of the lighter from the pocket at times when a person may bend over, resulting in damage to the lighter.

An object of the invention resides in a novel coupling means between a flexible support and the conventional lighter device whereby the lighter may be quickly and easily connected or disconnected from the flexible device and which permits the lighter to be supported within the usual trousers or other pocket to be easily withdrawn by merely pulling upon the flexible device and with the flexible device provided at its free end with a conventional snap-hook that may be engageable with any desirable pocket accessory.

A further object of the invention resides in a novel coupling means for a cigarette lighter that is formed in a manner whereby it may be swung to a position to provide a novel wind guard for the lighter wick.

Novel features of construction and operation will be clearly apparent during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein has been illustrated a preferred form of the device and wherein like characters of references are employed to denote like parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an enlarged perspective view of a lighter device and an associated connector for a flexible support,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation thereof with the connector in the supporting position,

Figure 3 is a similar view with a connector shifted to a wind guard position,

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the device with the parts in the position of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a section taken on line 55 of Figure 2,

Figure 6 is a section taken on line 66 of Figure l and,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary section taken on line 7--7 of Figure 5.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates a conventional cigarette lighter, having a spark producing lever 6 and a co-acting protective snuifer lever 7 that overlies the conventional lighter wick. The lever 6 and lever 7 are pivotally supported upon a transverse pivot pin 8 in the usual manner. While a particular form of lighter device has been illustrated, the invention is in no sense restricted to a specific ignition means.

Pivotally supported upon the pivot pin 8 at its opposite extremities, is a generally U-shaped connector 9. The connector 9 is shiftable in a vertical plane whereby it may 2,737,036 Patented Mar; 6, 1956 effectively provide a wind guard around the wick nozzle 10. The side walls of the wind guard are perforated at 11 and the material around the perforations are pressed inwardly to provide a plurality of inwardly extending nozzles that serve to conduct excessive air currents therethrough in a manner to avoid turbulence which would seriously affect the ignition and burning of the lighter wick.

At its upper head portion 9 the U-shaped connector 9 is slotted for substantially its full length, forming a pair of dove-tail slots 12, that are closed at one end. The head portion 9 and the slots 12 form an interlocking slide for a detachable coupling block 13. The head portion 9 is further slotted transversely at 9' for traverse engagement of an upturned end 14 of a retaining spring 15. The end 14 normally projects above the head portion 9 and lies in the path of sliding movement of the coupling block 13. The opposite end of the spring 15 is rivetted or otherwise permanently connected with the underside of the head 9 whereby it may flex downwardly to permit the end 14 to be depressed out of the line of movement of the block 13.

The coupling 13 is cut away on its bottom to form a pair of inwardly directed tongues 16 that are dimensioned to slidably engage within the slots 12 in interlocking dove-tail engagement. The coupling is formed of such length that upon contacting the closed end of the slots, the spring end 14 will project into the path of reverse movement of the block and securely retain the block against accidental displacement. The coupling 13 is further provided with an upstanding apertured rib 17 for engagement with a connecting ring 18, carried by one end of an elongated flexible device, such as an ornamental chain 19, the opposite end of which carries the conventional snap-hook 20 that may be engaged with other desirable pocket accessories, such as a pocket knife. The entire device may be constructed of any desirable precious or non-precious metals and with the connector 9 preferably formed of a material that will not be affected by the heat from the lighter.

In use, the connector 9 may be furnished as an integral unit of the lighter and this is preferably so. With the chain 19 connected to the coupler rib 17, the operator merely depresses the spring end 14 and slides the coupler into position for interlocking engagement with the dovetail slots 12. At its innermost position, the spring end 14 will automatically be projected upwardly to engage in front of the coupler to prevent accidental disengagement. The lighter is thus securely supported by the chain 19, as will be apparent. When the lighter is to be used in the presence of strong air currents, the connector is swung downwardly to provide an eifective wind guard. The coupler may be readily disconnected by depressing the spring end 14 and sliding the coupler outwardly.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fall within the spirit of the invention, as determined by the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A supporting means for cigarette lighters of the type that have a pivoted lighter arm for igniting a wick burner in combination with a wind guard that is shiftably connected upon the pivotal means of the lighter arm and whereby the wind guard may be shiftable to a position to protect the burner against wind, the wind guard having a slotted head portion and a spring latch associated therewith, means for connecting an elongated flexible support to the wind guard that comprises a grooved connector that has slidable engagement within 3 t the slots of the head portion whereby to be detachably engaged with the said latch, the connector being provided with an apertured rib for the reception of a connecting ring for the support.

2. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the wind guard is U-shaped and wherein the head portion is slotted for its major length and with the slots opening upon one side wall of the wind guard, the groove of the connector providing a pair of opposed ribs that have slidable and interlocking engagement within the slots of the wind guard whereby to prevent axial displacement of the connector, the said spring latch being disposed in the path i of a sliding movement of the connector with respect to the wind guard.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 987,961 Cotils Mar. 28, 1911 2,426,826 Goodson Sept. 2, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 291,695 Great Britain June 7, 1928 326,988 Germany Sept. 2, 1919 

